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Artists under microscope in trio of free FSU readings

By Bonnie J. Toomey, Correspondent

Updated:
04/25/2013 06:54:50 AM EDT

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FITCHBURG -- The Fitchburg State University Theater Department and students will present a collection of free staged readings this weekend featuring the works of playwrights John Logan, David Mamet and a new play by Samantha de Manbey.

The Sentinel & Enterprise spoke with Richard McElvain, FSU theater professor, by phone recently about "Red" and "A Life in the Theatre," which expose the struggle of the artist and the actor, and "The Apology," which addresses standardized testing.

Logan's "Red," which was nominated for seven Tony Awards and won six, will show at 7 p.m. Friday at the McKay Theatre. McElvain will portray the character based on Mark Rothko, an American painter of Latvian-Jewish decent who was born in 1903 and committed suicide in 1969.

"It is a major meditation in the arts and the artistic process," said McElvain, explaining that Rothko struggled with finding balance between what constituted his own artistic integrity and what artists in a commercial sense were expected to deliver.

Although Rothko was considered by his critics to be an abstract expressionist painter, he disagreed with the categorization.

"What's compelling is his passionate commitment to art for art's sake and for artists in society," said McElvain, who'll read with McKegg Collins. Collins will play Rothko's assistant, Oliver Steindecker. The relationship between the two characters is a metaphor for the tension between commercialism and the true meaning of art to the artist.

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"I prepared for this by trying to get inside the head of an utterly and completely great artist who felt marginalized by his contemporaries such as Jackson Pollock," said McElvain, adding, "They were more popular and he was very critical of them. He felt they sold out."

McElvain will try to tap into Rothko's psyche, which was affected deeply by what Rothko felt was a lack of validation for his works. "Some of which did hold water," he said.

"A Life in the Theatre" by Mamet is the second staged reading to be presented at 7 p.m. Saturday at Percival. It will feature Thomas Karner and McElvain.

"It focuses on the relationship between two actors, the play's only characters," said McElvain.

The first character is Robert, who is a stage veteran, and the second is John, a young, promising actor.

The two actors are involved in a variety of productions and slowly their relationship begins to change.

"It's a wonderful play -- scenes from their relationship from the dressing room and on stage are very touching and very funny," said McElvain.

"Mamet hung out with theater people because he loved the way they talked," he said, agreeing that it was somewhat of an inside view on the real world of actors.

"The Apology" by de Manbey will be presented today at 4 p.m. in Percival and features Kim Connor, Alicia Gianetti, Pam Hill, Joanna Karamanou, Karner, Kelly Morgan and Ian Vincent.

"The new play deals with apology and takes on standardized testing," said McElvain. "The other two plays are on the struggle of actors and artists and keeping egos intact and the tension between integrity and what you have to do to get noticed."

Fitchburg State University is able to offer these plays and readings for free because they want everyone in the community to be able to have the experience of live theater, he said.

"It's not about making money. For years we charged and we got smaller audiences. Now we do them for free, and it has worked well, we are reaching more people -- after all, we are an educational institution and we are here to teach -- it feels much better this way," he said.

Although the readings are free, people may make a donation if they wish to, all of which goes to the FSU Theater Department trip to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland, which students attend every two years.

McElvain has a graduate degree from Marquette University and an MFA in directing earned in 1977 from Boston University. He has been teaching professional performance training courses at FSU for 16 years.

* Mare E Monti -- From the Adriatic Sea to the Apennine Mountains: A visit to Le March, bordering Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany, Umbria and Abruzzo, and a long coastline on the Adriatic. Le Marche has inspired poets, musicians and travelers for millennia. Fred Plotkin will take you on a culinary and cultural journey of this special region; Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Friday, noon and 6 p.m.; Fay Club, Fitchburg.

Visions '13: April 24 through June 30, juried honors showcase of the year's best original student work in the Communications Media department, an exhibition featuring photography, graphic design and interactive media; Ellis White Lecture Hall Gallery, Fitchburg State University.

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